tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-78904054346024081482012-02-17T21:05:48.421+11:00Our journey continued after the BIG day... :)AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.comBlogger2441100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-61448981318314753742012-02-17T20:26:00.002+11:002012-02-17T21:00:33.605+11:00

Its been awhile since I have put up a post on the blog. The last time I typed up an entry and actually posted it was way back when Abigail had just turned 5 months. She is now 1.5 years old!In a nutshell, the last year has just been a whirlwind of getting used to daily changes and challenges. It is a big thing to adjust to having a third person in the family, her growing up from being a baby to

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-58321614219237686802010-12-31T10:45:00.002+11:002011-01-15T13:18:38.058+11:00

Christmas tree at Straits Quay We had a lovely time in Penang. The little girl got to experience a different country, different weather and with all things considered, she did very well. We spent 3 weeks on the island and headed back to Canberra on the 27th. I got to meet up with friends, show the baby around and fill up on yummy Penang food. One can never have enough of good food and I must say

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-89721161886215667642010-12-22T13:19:00.000+11:002011-01-15T13:31:17.740+11:00

Abigail turned 5 months a couple of days ago. We celebrated it with a little chocolate cake. I will probably get another cake for when she turns 1/2 a year old too :) Any excuse to eat cake! Anyway, a day after she turned 5 months, Abigail flipped! She has been trying to tilt her body for awhile now and today, she managed to flip herself over on her belly. She did this on a bed instead of her

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-66096983290098031382010-12-15T13:55:00.006+11:002010-12-15T14:49:33.749+11:00

December 7th was a BIG day for our little girl. Not only was she interrupted VERY early in the morning from her sleep (she usually sleeps till about 7am) but she would be travelling on 4 planes, covering 4 cities (starting from Canberra) and arriving in Penang, Malaysia. Cheryl's biggest concern was her ears because of the altitude and we took on board so much advice that most of it worked.

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-77178267030773426092010-12-05T21:19:00.004+11:002010-12-05T21:39:33.336+11:00

Baby is officially 4 months and 2 weeks old. Time has certainly flown by. How quickly children grow up! Fancy me saying that now.... Imagine what I will say when she flies the coop!I am excitedly waiting to start baby on solids. At this point we can't just yet because she has yet to master neck control. I may give it a shot in a week or so. In fact I have already bought rice cereal in

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-28602026648134320872010-11-29T18:46:00.005+11:002010-12-01T18:50:17.098+11:00

This series of photos were taken with much mirth and laughter. I wanted to take Abigail out for a walk but it was a little cold. So I sat Abigail down on the couch to put on a hat to cover her still rather bald head and booties on her feet. I thought of taking a picture of her but she kept sliding down the couch! Everytime she slid down the couch, her hat came off. So in between me holding on to

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-15658537264148668052010-11-24T18:38:00.001+11:002010-11-30T21:34:44.978+11:00

Abigail is getting a lot more alert as the days go by. She now recognizes mom, tracks me very intently as I walk across the room and can get a little upset if I leave the room. A bit early for this no? I thought babies only get clingy to mom at a later age - nearer to 6 months. I hope this clingy-ness dissipates when she meets more people in December. This will stand her in good stead when she

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-77677494825015993962010-11-23T17:07:00.001+11:002010-11-29T18:58:25.497+11:00

I love this shot of my baby. Its not easy to capture a nice picture of a baby in natural lighting (i.e no flash) whose movements are constantly jerky and to whom you can't just say "Ok.. hold still and smile!" Firstly I have to hold the camera steady in one hand. I have shaky hand syndrome (probably from too much chicken feet - the chinese believe that if you have to much of chicken feet, you get

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-86548943245301204312010-11-22T21:12:00.002+11:002010-11-22T21:53:55.644+11:00

I have never been a fan of sweet things. I never understood why chocolates are always associated with women. What's there to like about a bar of chocolate or a box of gourmet chocolates? I like savouries. Give me a pack of french fries any day over a bar of chocolate. However since falling pregnant, all that has changed for me. I haven't lost my taste for savouries but right up there now is also

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-70750389408848148402010-11-11T16:49:00.002+11:002010-11-22T19:41:27.203+11:00

We had friends visiting and staying with us this week. D and V came for a short visit and it was their first time meeting Abigail. The exposure was good for Abigail since the only people she sees are mommy, daddy, grandpa, grandma and the occasional stranger on Sunday mornings at church. I must say Abigail was pretty good with having D and V around except when mommy wasn't in visual range. :)

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-79924954954105631292010-11-03T20:17:00.003+11:002010-11-11T13:12:52.668+11:00

Little one started sticking her tongue out this week. It happened briefly on Tuesday and since then, she has been steadily going at it. Kinda cute.cheryl

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-26464403294223989242010-11-02T21:21:00.000+11:002010-11-11T13:30:16.641+11:00

We received the best news today. Abigail has gotten a spot in day care! This is huge for us because (as any Aussie can tell you) it is SO difficult to get a spot in a day care centre. It is a known fact that you have to register your baby ASAP for day care if you would like to return to full time/part time work and have no one to care for baby. In fact, places are so limited that parents are

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-73345655015898900182010-10-28T15:24:00.007+11:002010-11-08T18:45:23.320+11:00

Ok so this is not a baby related post :) Its been awhile I know since a non-baby post. So here is one.I was given a couple of scones this week and I thought it would be lovely if I had fresh cream and jam to have with it. (I have been eating a lot lately) So off I went to the shops to buy a small pack/carton of fresh cream.Now I have not bought fresh cream from the shops before and silly me (I

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-92220119451715320102010-10-27T15:21:00.004+11:002010-11-05T20:16:55.822+11:00

Abigail is slowly but surely starting to flip her body. She was on her back as usual on the play gym when she spotted something in her peripheral vision and was trying to turn her head around to see more of it. As she tried, she kicked and twisted her torso that half her body was lifted off the mat. This I think is sure sign that she will soon be rollingGotta keep a closer watch on her. Can't

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-38722689404550737942010-10-21T21:22:00.007+11:002010-11-11T13:39:03.370+11:00

Our little one is very vocal this week. She wasn't saying much or anything at all before this and just out of the blue, she is 'oohing, boohing and cooing'. She has also learnt to complain! At 3 months! The sounds she makes when unhappy is so distinguishable from her regular coos. Its more of a whiney, whinge-y sound. It is all so very cute. I am still amazed at all the little changes that is

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-59054468052270286112010-10-14T21:27:00.005+11:002010-10-28T21:09:48.536+11:00

Today started out like every other day. I woke up, gave Abigail her regular feed and placed her on her play gym. Abigail loves her play gym. It is the only place she spends 30 minutes on her own during the day (apart from her cot when she is sleeping of course). Her play gym has a light frame hanging over it and on that frame hangs two balls and two suns, a pair on each side. She enjoys lying

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-58882148158890224002010-09-28T21:15:00.001+10:002010-10-20T21:45:29.853+11:00

Abigail gave me the most wonderful smile this morning. The first time a baby intentionally smiles at you is a heart melting moment. And it gets even better when she smiles at you in the morning before you pick her up from her cot. The intense joy and love you feel at that moment is quite indescribable. In that moment all frustrations from the days before or from lack of sleep disappear and all

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-22205840054928259252010-09-22T20:40:00.001+10:002010-10-15T20:57:43.266+11:00

Our baby girl has discovered her hands. She doesn't really know they are there as yet and neither does she know she has fingers but she must know something is there because she has started stuffing the back of her fist into her mouth. Quite cute really... I was initially a little concerned that she was going to start sucking on her thumb. I don't want to encourage thumb sucking because it acts

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-81055971963227968352010-09-18T18:51:00.002+10:002010-10-14T21:27:30.712+11:00

In the short amount of time that I have been a new mom, I have learnt things about myself. Discovered parts of me that I didn't know existed. I am sure that as the weeks go by I will be discovering and learning a lot more but for now, I am putting them on the blog so I can remember these moments in the future. Before giving birth-I never thought that moving around post delivery could be so

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-87036626867934485262010-09-12T21:28:00.002+10:002010-10-13T21:42:31.256+11:00

Our little red riding hood Our baby has given us her first intentional smile! Whoopee! She doesn't smile very much ( I think she inherits that from me ) but when she does smile... she is so sweet!cheryl

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-32914945347089200942010-09-10T18:48:00.001+10:002010-10-12T21:19:56.665+11:00

Abigail has started smiling this week. Not intentionally as yet but she has begun smiling to herself a few times a day. Sometimes she smiles and chuckles while being breastfed which I find so very funny. I can't wait for when she starts smiling at us!I have also started Abigail on some sort of schedule. I put her down for an afternoon nap at 2pm after her lunch. So far she has done quite well,

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-4055911842357055172010-09-08T18:34:00.001+10:002010-10-11T21:22:37.237+11:00

My mother (aka Abigail's grandmother) leaves for Penang today. The past 6 weeks have been wonderful with my mom around. I now know that its true when people say 'Daughter's learn to appreciate their mothers most when they have their own daughters.' I am so grateful that my mother came to help me out right after Abigail arrived. Having her around has been very uplifting to my spirits and I am ever

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-4072753147010948802010-08-03T11:32:00.001+10:002010-09-12T17:02:51.495+10:00

In Malaysia it is customary for the chinese to celebrate a baby's one month 'birthday' by sending out red eggs, mung bean cakes (aka ang ku kueh) and tumeric chicken curry + rice to relatives and friends. These yummy goodies are ordered from shops that specialize in providing this service for one month celebrations. Because it is common for friends and family members to send gifts at the baby's

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-37812682915202336712010-08-03T11:24:00.004+10:002010-10-14T20:59:30.154+11:00

So 16 days on and I have lost another kilo. Also I now fit into my jeans! Woo hoo! No more walking around in baggy black pants or using the belly belt. I actually forgot how it felt to be able to button up the metal button on jeans.There is still a lot of work to be done - the tightening of skin around the belly, sit ups, walking, jogging - but all that can wait. I have a baby to care for and

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-54294033089375148972010-07-28T14:34:00.001+10:002010-10-14T20:59:45.768+11:00

I was chatting with a friend the other day when she asked, " So have you weighed yourself yet?" My answer was no, not yet. The first few days after the birth was a whirlwind/blur of activity and responsibility. I was just too knackered to do anything much less remember to weigh myself. If you have been reading my last few entries, I have been keeping track of my weight gain throughout the

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-62476099483932755782010-07-20T17:44:00.004+10:002010-10-14T21:00:04.850+11:00

We welcomed our little bundle of joy at the hospital late in the afternoon today. We were at the operating theatre when I heard her first cry. I was all numbed up and couldn't see her because of the makeshift curtain set up in front of my face blocking my sight. When we first heard her cry I asked Alex, "Is that our little girl? Is she out?" Hearing her cry for the first time was such a heart

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-29395884231142838282010-07-18T17:46:00.003+10:002010-07-18T18:00:44.034+10:00

Here is the final update on the weight gain. Looks like I have much exercising to do 2 months post partum. I am very keen to find out how much weight will be lost once baby + amniotic fluid + placenta is out. Half of 12.5 kgs hopefully?I have not been keeping tabs on the amount that I ate throughout this pregnancy. I must say though that I am a little disappointed that I haven't had as much

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-17724052109478346492010-07-18T15:30:00.001+10:002010-07-18T18:03:56.599+10:00

One thing has to be said about the final 2 weeks of pregnancy. If you think that the weeks leading up to this final stage could not get any more tiring or have you seeing more changes to your body, you are so wrong.I stopped working last week and by the end of week 38, my tiredness has doubled, my ability to walk has slowed to 1/3 of its previous speed and the heaviness I'm experiencing on lower

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-9900809116312593212010-06-24T17:17:00.005+10:002010-08-02T17:43:38.691+10:00

Its the 9 month! 4 more weeks to go till baby says hello to the world. The sun was shining real nicely this morning and I thought that I should take a picture of my shadow for remembrance.So this is what this whale of a mama looks like now :)A frontal shot - I think you can't tell I'm pregnant here And boom! A side shot - looking super pregnantOh and yes I got myself a hair cut. The lovely long

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-60421730423455644062010-05-08T11:09:00.006+10:002010-07-18T15:03:21.779+10:00

Here is the updated pregnancy weight gain graph. This was last seen about 2 months ago and since then the line has progressively gone upwards. To date my total gain is 9kgs. It fluctuates between 9-10kgs but so far I have not hit the 10kg mark yet. We have another 2.5 months or 10 weeks left to go before the little one pops out to say hi to the world. In this 2.5 months, baby is expected to

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-3146423811197036922010-04-30T10:17:00.002+10:002010-04-30T10:34:01.574+10:00

7 States and territories down, one to go. Then, Cheryl and I can say we've been to all of Australia. We just got back from Darwin last week (actually this time last week we were on a plane heading for Darwin) and I must say that Darwin is very different to all the cities we've been to. Not only is it really hot (worse than Penang hot as Cheryl puts it), trying to get to the attractions without

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-58472833411084868942010-04-15T12:01:00.004+10:002010-04-15T14:25:54.918+10:00

We've reached a big milestone now. Today marks 26 +1/40 in Cheryl's pregnancy. For those that don't know, 26 +1 is medical jargon (hehe) for 26 weeks 1 day. So things are moving along. The reason why this is a big milestone is because Cheryl gets to do the Glucose load test on Saturday. This is to see if her body deals with the glucose well. There isn't anything to worry about, it's very

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-5265562670763744052010-02-18T22:32:00.005+11:002010-08-02T17:44:03.185+10:00

We met up with more friends during our short trip in Penang over a cuppa. And as lovely as lovely friends can be, baby got more gifts!I think we are doing well and on track in terms of baby clothes. Being a first time mom, I'm grateful for all the gifts we received.Here is a shot of the stuff baby received that night. Jumpsuits, bibs, booties and also a book that has lovely recipes for baby

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-20675162863568854932010-02-17T22:59:00.002+11:002010-03-16T09:04:39.030+11:00

Dear hubby arranged for a nice stay at Shangri-la Hotel at the Rocks in Sydney for Valentines this year. The Shangri-la at the Rocks is easily one of the best hotels with the best view of the Opera House and Darling Harbour in Sydney.Here are some pictures of our room. Its rather similar to most hotels but I suppose the distinction comes from the service guests receive. The main area of the roomA

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-56674737325604640922010-02-17T22:58:00.004+11:002010-02-17T23:10:42.484+11:00

Firstly, I've had to alter the 'leave comments' blog because it seems odd messages are left always on queue to our blog. To avoid this, have added in a feature that means this may reduce. Sorry for the inconvenience but I hope everyone understands. :)Everybody seems to ask what I got up to with my beloved wife Cheryl for Valentine's Day. Well... We went up to Sydney Valentine's Day eve and

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-87632093450761288032010-02-16T22:19:00.003+11:002010-08-02T17:44:15.912+10:00

As it so happens we were back in Penang at the end of the first trimester. And as the ends of first trimesters go, moms to be usually have their first ultrasound to check on baby’s progress. So off we went to the obstetrician where I had my first encounter with the cold gel and sound waves.I must say the entire experience was very surreal. Those who know me know that I have never been the kind of

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-60284986347732855622010-02-12T07:53:00.002+11:002010-08-02T17:44:32.943+10:00

My nice sister Debbie and nice friend Macy organised a baby shower for us in February during our short trip back to Penang. We had a fantastic time. The baby shower was a little early but hey, since we won't be heading back to Penang for the next 1.5 years, February was the only time to celebrate baby! We had lots of laughs and it was nice to catch up with friends on a slow, lazy Sunday afternoon

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-1085056510877809412010-02-05T22:30:00.000+11:002010-02-09T22:40:09.034+11:00

I'm still trying to catch up with blogging on entries from the second week of January. I have put up 2 backdated posts so far.. I will continue to put up some more posts over the next couple of days.So for now do scroll down past the next entry below to read my updates. Hopefully I can catch up by the end of the week.cheryl

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-47490507257608797632010-02-01T01:37:00.004+11:002010-02-01T02:11:19.585+11:00

While the last 8 days has been rushed, to us I think it has been quite rewarding because of the amount of things we accomplished, not to mention the things we bought for a cheaper price compared with buying it in Australia. Yes, we definitely went overboard with the amount of things bought for the little one (little Alex as I call the baby since we have yet to ascertain the gender - be it

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-42491447113071589402010-01-08T22:41:00.000+11:002010-02-09T23:00:30.825+11:00

Most of these 2 weeks have been spent shopping and packing our luggage for our upcoming trip back to Penang. My appetite has shown signs of getting better although the burping hasn't stopped. Nausea comes intermittently but it showing signs of decrease. So I'm very much looking forward to the coming weeks. Hopefully it disappears forever.And the weight gain trend continues... 1kg total gain so

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-84156323382122216742010-01-06T21:21:00.000+11:002010-02-09T23:01:40.050+11:00

We bought our first baby stuff this week. It felt a little foreign at first to step into the baby section of the store as neither Alex nor I ever gave this section a second glance before this. It really became obvious to me as we walked in how I was completely blinded to this section of the sales market.The most important purchase we made today was this.I can continue wearing all my jeans and

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-3173902304725310872010-01-02T13:40:00.004+11:002010-02-09T21:21:48.706+11:00

I had 4 days in week 9 of "Great! I can eat again!" A lot less nausea and food didn't seem so unappealing in the evenings. I was about to start the celebrations of having control of my body back when I got hit with a massive wave of nausea on Monday. So we are back to square one. I can't wait for this phase to diminish. I have been pretty blessed so far to only suffer from evening sickness and

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-4609722506853715112009-12-14T11:14:00.006+11:002010-01-20T22:34:16.714+11:00

1. I am a burping machine.2. Constipation is the theme of the weekI'm glad the hubby hasn't fled from the home because of my excessive burps and belches. In fact I think it has given him the freedom to do so himself around the house. I used to glare at him whenever I hear a runaway fart or burp. For me, expelled wind is now coming forth from both ends.. top and bottom :) I don't quite know what

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-31896395424476272972009-12-03T08:23:00.005+11:002010-01-20T22:31:09.074+11:00

I have only one craving. My first craving in this pregnancy. I want fruit. I want fruit in the morning, before lunch, for lunch, after lunch and for dinner. I think it is the juice and the sweetness in fruit that I am actually craving for. My tongue feels like yucky tasting sandpaper and sugar seems to help. One fruit that stands out at the moment are cherries. I am hooked on cherries. I have

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-70803096906425403712009-11-30T21:18:00.002+11:002010-01-19T21:57:36.461+11:00

Some of you who are reading this blog might be thinking, " Hey, where is Alex in all this pregnancy blogging? This is the Alex-Cheryl blog and not just a Cheryl blog. Doesn't the father to be have something to say?"Well I must say that my hubby is a man of many words - in speech. While I am a woman of many words, it is more so in print. I am fairly less chatty in person (although some friends beg

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-22415306321925505772009-11-27T08:10:00.003+11:002010-01-19T07:45:08.844+11:00

I think I have the reverse of the morning sickness. I have noticed a pattern over the last few days. I come home from work and basically lie around groaning trying to hold my stomach down. Nausea is a nightly theme so all thoughts of eating dinner has been thrown out the window. I tried some lemon and hot water. No sugar. It seems to help. Once I stop sipping it seems to come back fairly

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-13771095514830687652009-11-25T07:47:00.001+11:002010-01-18T17:55:06.037+11:00

So I'm going to start writing weekly posts about our pregnancy on this blog. Mainly to track my bodily changes on a week to week basis, to keep a journal of my experience that I can come back to in the future (who knows, maybe baby will get to read this when he/she is older!) and also for friends/readers of this blog who may appreciate some basic info about what to expect when pregnant.I am

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-27805173589113866292009-11-23T07:38:00.003+11:002010-01-17T10:15:11.130+11:00

So we found out today that we are pregnant!I have been feeling a little odd over the last 2 weeks and the thought of being pregnant snowballed into a huge possiblity when I missed my regular monthly visit from Aunt Flow. Mostly I had being feeling tired, especially at nights when I could barely keep my eyes open once the clock hit 7pm and come 830pm I would have to call it a night. I would come

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-69375776735244201282009-11-21T07:26:00.010+11:002009-11-25T20:05:03.406+11:00

This is the final installment of the Penang food series. I have been posting multiple entries about Penang food with pictures taken from my not so recent trip back to Penang in July. I thought I better get on with and post these before my next trip back to Penang in January which would undoubtedly be dotted with more food excursions. More food excursions = more food entries :) I do food

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-9561951784865691372009-11-21T07:12:00.006+11:002009-11-23T19:32:04.201+11:00

The months of May-July is always the season for some of the best fruits in Penang. The fruits in mention here is the durian, mangosteen, langsat and rambutan. Mace and Pin took us on a drive to Balik Pulau and on the way we stopped for a helping of durian since 3 out of 4 of us in the car were craving for the delicious fruit. Guess who the 1 person who wasn't? :) My dear husband of course.

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-32956841049936593242009-11-20T22:46:00.007+11:002009-11-22T15:26:25.457+11:00

While passing Kimberley Street on my last trip back in Penang in July, I spotted this newly renovated place called the Old House Cafe. The owners of this place bought 5 units of pre war shop houses and restored the structure to its former glory before adding a touch of the antique with the use of heavy wooden doors with metal trimmings, old style tea tables, seats, benches and artwork.Curiosity

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-74509674329729889622009-11-20T22:32:00.011+11:002009-11-21T15:08:20.923+11:00

It's been awhile since my trip back home to Penang and I have been meaning to post about all the wonderful food I indulged in during that time but I admit I have a bit of slacker with my updates no thanks to my busy home life. Yes my busy home life :) So I have decided to make amends and do all the food posts in one weekend.Lots of pictures coming up with short comments on where to find these

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-36036096604542480742009-11-19T22:40:00.002+11:002009-11-19T23:01:10.248+11:00

Making choices in this day and age seem to be a lot more complicated than it was 10 years ago. I'm not talking about moral dilemmas that often bring us into grey realms but something a lot more black and white like trying to buy a consumer product off the supermarket shelf.Have you ever given thought as to how any different types of milk products there are on an average milk shelf at the store?

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-37278756553498478452009-11-14T07:11:00.003+11:002009-11-14T08:15:00.966+11:00

The biggest shock of the month happened yesterday to me when I was notified through several phone calls and sms-es about my Facebook (FB) account being hacked. I'm glad these friends of mine know me well enough to know I would NEVER post disgusting content on my webpages and subsequently took swift action to try reach me so I could fix the problem. I have a rather long list of contacts on my FB

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-27146314072430871262009-11-07T23:27:00.001+11:002009-11-08T12:52:20.156+11:00

It has been a while since I posted on this blog. Cheryl normally has better things to say than I do but I thought this time I better say it first before Cheryl tries to make the story more interesting. :-)Yesterday, Cheryl and I, along with 9 others from work took part in paint balling. It is an experience Cheryl is happy to be able to tick off her list ... We went paintballing behind the

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-67167052628695630822009-10-18T15:55:00.014+11:002009-10-18T19:51:56.072+11:00

Picture from Assiette websiteTo be brief and to the point: So we were at Assiette for dinner last night. This place comes as a recommendation from Alex's sister and it was a very good choice.Firstly, the restaurant has a simple elegance to it and a lovely ambience.Secondly, the staff really do a good job of being friendly, informative and attentive.Thirdly, the food is definitely the cream of the

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-84716384673795144772009-10-17T08:24:00.002+11:002009-10-18T15:54:59.958+11:00

For those who missed the news about this freak accident that took place in Melbourne on Thursday, here is a video link of the incident that was recorded by a camera installed on the platform of the track.The young mother had just let go of the stationary pram for 2 seconds to adjust her pants before a gust of wind pushed the pram over the edge of the platform. She had broken no rules, she wasn't

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-22497761706279113712009-10-11T21:56:00.002+11:002009-10-11T22:45:31.516+11:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - ShakespeareI think Shakespeare had it right when he wrote that line in Romeo & Juliet. Sometimes I look at an apple and wonder who first called it that or why red is red, blue is blue and so on so forth.A name expresses individuality and identifies one person from another but don't you think the whole naming a

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-44419583120141824622009-10-09T20:24:00.005+11:002009-10-09T21:50:59.385+11:00

Julie & Julia left me absolutely astounded. This one gets my vote for the best movie of 2009. I loved how Meryl Streep and Amy Adams brought the characters to life, each with so much individuality yet so very easy for the viewers to identify with. This movie is bound to strike a cord with any woman who cooks. I went in expecting it to be a good show and came out wow-ed because of the fantastic

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-69211415577965561912009-10-05T21:01:00.012+11:002009-10-08T21:57:39.941+11:00

It is spring and therefore its Floriade time again! This year it is my plan to visit at least twice before the fest ends. Unfortunately the weather this spring has been incredulously ridiculous (pardon my English) but really its been nothing but cold and wet for the last 2 weeks, everything that Spring should not be like. As such I have not gone back for my second helping of greens. However my

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-11749185434978265992009-10-02T09:58:00.005+10:002009-10-02T11:11:10.922+10:00

Wan Tan Mee I woke this morning craving for this warm bowl of egg noodles tossed in a perfect merriment of dark soy sauce, regular soy, sesame oil, lard oil and sugar, topped with freshly cooked vegetables, wonton (also known as wan tan), char siew pork and a side of green chillies.Breakfast dream aside, in reality I had a ham and cheese sandwich with coffee.I have noticed that I seem to always

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-61158835876991634522009-09-29T20:00:00.004+10:002009-09-29T22:23:18.023+10:00

"Hi everyone. My name is Cheryl ... and I think I'm a reader-holic"For the past year I have been averaging 4 books every 3 weeks. That, (quick mental math here) would equal 56 books a year. No, I don't buy the books that I read. If I did, I would have a serious hole in my pockets. While I love reading, I do not have the need to possess the books that I read. As such, my source of books have been

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-22683129764012802172009-09-24T09:36:00.005+10:002009-09-24T10:16:11.379+10:00

" Arrr!"" Land ahoy!"" Ahoy me matey!"" Shiver me timbers!"Last Saturday was the International Talk Like a Pirate Day. Did you know of such a day? It was the first I had heard of such a celebration and apparently it was only created in 1995 by two men, John Baur and Mark Summes. (Wikipedia) The crowd outside the bar. The rest of the crew were probably inside.I was quite captivated by the costumes

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-33814868241950102192009-09-18T22:37:00.005+10:002009-09-19T21:58:03.945+10:00

Our first meal with friends was at the new-ish restaurant named The Sire. This place opened sometime late 2008 and is unique as it offers a dining cum history lesson experience all within the same building. One half of the building is designed specially for dining while the other half houses antiquities from the home of Yeap Chor Ee - a prominent businessman in Penang, founder of the Ban Hin Lee

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-73576018728704564912009-09-17T20:54:00.010+10:002009-09-17T22:59:53.149+10:00

Hot Wok is another restaurant in Penang which serves nyonya fare.This place first open its doors sometime in 1994 and since then it has built up a pretty good following amongst Penang people. Last I heard, they had opened a branch in Kuala Lumpur.I was meeting up with my high school girlfriends and this restaurant won the popular vote. Here are some of the dishes we had for lunch. Jiu Hoo Char -

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-88974025265023079222009-09-10T16:03:00.006+10:002009-09-13T22:18:33.635+10:00

One of my favourite restaurants to eat at in Penang is The Golden Triangle. This place serves up IndoChine food and as described on their webpage, a mix of Thai, Vietnamese and Laotian cuisine. I love this place because each visit promises an explosion of flavour on my palate. The Golden Triangle has 2 outlets, one in Queensbay Mall and another in Auto City.Moving on quickly to pictures and food.

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-28160324274150696302009-09-10T14:20:00.002+10:002009-09-10T15:56:35.141+10:00

Our trip back to Penang was made extra rewarding with my many food indulgences which included proper restaurant dining and street food. This blog is the perfect fodder for photos accompanied with short notes about those experiences. Memory lane stuff :) Here, I start off with a short post about one of the restaurants we visited.Mama's is a restaurant serving nyonya cuisine located at 31-D, Abu

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-41493386798691876262009-09-07T19:48:00.009+10:002009-10-11T21:56:16.098+11:00

A couple of years ago McDonalds announced the arrival of McCafe in a bid for a bigger chunk of the morning caffeine market and I guess to also cater to the needs of breakfast folk looking for something other than burgers to break their overnight fast. And I suppose with the current economic situation - the US market being unstable, jobs being a little uncertain, a drop in public spending and

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-30796747058501388972009-09-06T21:09:00.009+10:002009-09-07T19:15:08.561+10:00

A meal is best shared amongst friends.And that was what we did .. A LOT.. of in Penang. We ate out mostly with family and while there is no doubt that I am very good at searching for yummy food on my own, we also met up with friends to have plenty of 'makan' time. As you can see from our smiley faces, the meal was good and very satisfying to our tummies. Gluttons we are not but its the love and

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-23403770544740624982009-09-01T21:05:00.003+10:002009-09-01T21:29:14.438+10:00

Budding pink and other homes down the street We are back in Australia. When I arrived on Friday morning, I was greeted by the sight of pale pink flowers budding and blooming on every other corner of every street. It was a very different sight to the one I saw a month ago before I left for Penang. Soon these pale pink bunches will change into green leaves and the very brown landscape of Canberra

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-5182262195078000462009-08-12T21:34:00.002+10:002009-08-12T21:47:38.074+10:00

Ah the joys of good sales. Good fare hunting has finally paid off. Cheryl and I managed to get $99 fares ($198 return) fares to KL for January next year. It's another 8 day trip for me (I hope it's not as draining as this one) and the first time for Cheryl to have a 8 day trip to Malaysia. One thing I was curious though... Cheryl being Cheryl has ALWAYS said that she would refuse to take a

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-12787998054348721052009-08-07T13:58:00.002+10:002009-08-07T14:13:54.910+10:00

It's been a while since I have posted on the blog. But with a spare moment to breathe and soak in the nice ambience / atmosphere of Starbucks at Queensbay Mall in Penang, I thought I should write something. :)Well, it's been just a tad over a week since Cheryl and I touched down in Penang. Boy have we covered a lot! We went to do all the shopping and replenishing of supplies for the next year

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-73503612014344210822009-07-28T20:23:00.006+10:002009-07-28T22:09:39.395+10:00

It's my birthday! How quickly a year passes by. Its not often one can say their age equals the date of the birthday. Some had their day when they turned 1 year old and it is today that I can proudly mention I am 28 on the 28th!The husband has been very nice all day, doing pretty much all that the wife has asked for. According to him, my birthday surprise this year is a 3 pronged attack.First, I

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-77137583538987362522009-07-25T19:58:00.004+10:002009-07-25T20:33:31.248+10:00

In light of our upcoming trip, I have been busying myself in the kitchen cooking and packing up lunch/dinner boxes to keep in the freezer. Both Alex and I are returning to Penang for a holiday but Alex returns 3 weeks earlier before I do. Being the good and dutiful wife :) I have been preparing these boxes so the husband eats well while the wife is not around.Ok to make me sound less a saint, I'm

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-30106084510352732242009-07-23T18:14:00.004+10:002009-07-23T19:00:48.497+10:00

I love my slow cooker. When we got married, my first request for a wedding gift was for a slow cooker. It does wonders to meats, stews and soups. Often I am pressed for time and I prepare my food overnight or leave it turned on low in the slow cooker while I'm away at work.I made the simplest ever leg of lamb dish a week ago. Lamb is fantastic for winter. Its such a warming dish, so much more so

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-20978144526662291002009-07-21T20:28:00.006+10:002009-07-21T21:47:06.165+10:00

If didn't know that we were halfway through the month of July and right smack in the middle of winter, I could have been fooled into thinking that spring had arrived. The past few days have been nothing but blue blue skies made perfect by the glow of the sun warming the air and everything around us to perfection.This sort of weather inspires outdoor activities. So to the outdoors we went :)

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-34980856749449902642009-07-10T19:59:00.008+10:002009-07-13T20:22:34.969+10:00

This is a simple and yummy recipe for fried eggplant. I made up a batch for the hubs some months ago but am only finding time to post about it now.1 mid sized eggplant - sliced2 eggs - beatenKentucky Powder1. Coat individual slices of the eggplant with beaten egg.2. Then coat the eggplant with Kentucky Powder.3. Toss into hot oil and fry till golden on both sides.4. Serve hot with chilli sauce,

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-43328908690574528332009-07-07T22:04:00.001+10:002009-07-10T19:30:33.906+10:00

Adelaide Zoo - Buffet dinner - North Terrace WalkHere is the follow up post to our short weekend trip to Adelaide. Adelaide is a small city in comparison to Sydney and Melbourne. Not half as noisy and maybe just slightly louder than Canberra. If you are in the city, the best way to travel around is by bus or tram. There is a free city circle bus and a free city 'terrace to terrace' tram.

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-42336388282553740602009-07-05T19:16:00.005+10:002009-07-06T18:24:30.293+10:00

Celebrate good times... Come on! :-) It has been a year. A year since I woke up on a cold Canberra morning to the realisation that my life would be changed. Forever. The day was quite hectic. From getting to the chapel on time to walking down the aisle after the ceremony. Then came the photo session on the shores of Lake Burley Griffin before settling down for lunch at The Deck restaurant.That

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-38165604412424777822009-07-05T16:30:00.006+10:002009-07-05T17:33:53.049+10:00

A year ago today....A year has passed ever so quickly. Looking back on the year, we thank God that we have been blessed with so much. There is so much to look forward to and we can only wait to see what is in store for us.With this year being our first anniversary, we decided to do something simple yet meaningful. Instead of having an fancy dinner out, we decided to have a nice, laid back late

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-69197473878112017762009-07-03T21:46:00.010+10:002009-07-03T23:09:59.318+10:00

Dinner with Deborah - Rundle Street Mall - Central MarketA week ago today (Friday 26th June) we were in Adelaide having yet another relaxing holiday away from Canberra. If you have been frequently visiting this blog, it would seem like we often go away on holidays... :) Before you think money grows on trees in our garden, not that we have one but figuratively speaking... I must say that it

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-12752240351037336532009-06-28T21:46:00.003+10:002009-06-30T22:23:58.316+10:00

I'm back, well... for the time being anyhow. Cheryl and I headed off to Adelaide last weekend kinda as a celebration thing after ending my semester of Pharmacy learning. Having bought some rather cheap fares with Tiger to Adelaide, we headed to South Australia to relax. Neither of us have been to Adelaide before so we were looking forward to the weekend with much anticipation. We stayed at the

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-50488251991421620602009-06-26T10:47:00.004+10:002009-06-26T13:30:21.287+10:00

Another short trip, another Aussie city, gonna drop in on Deborah ... YAY! :) Back next week with photos!cheryl

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-77527615419607752182009-06-25T16:01:00.007+10:002009-06-26T12:01:14.120+10:00

Images from the web I woke up this morning (8am Aus time -26 June) to a phone call telling me the King of Pop had died. In my sleepy stupor I thought it was a joke or maybe a dream. I distinctly remembered having a disturbing dream right before and thought maybe this was an extension of it. However it has been confirmed that he has passed on from a heart attack. He had been rushed to the hospital

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-7971091582742636042009-06-22T09:37:00.004+10:002009-06-22T10:32:15.122+10:00

These three words sum up how I have felt for the past month. To those who have been periodially checking in on this blog, I do apologize for the lack of posts. Not only have I been suffering from a bout of brain freeze (both literally and creatively) but I have also had the finger freeze and the toe freeze. Its been nothing but weeks of cold and wet weather. And I DO NOT FUNCTION well in such '

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-586682297464654692009-05-15T21:33:00.002+10:002009-05-15T21:59:35.165+10:00

Last Wednesday evening we received a call from my inlaws telling us their place got burgled. It was only ~3 weeks ago that our neighbours two doors down got burgled. What is this quiet, previously country town, slow growing city coming to?The police were called in and all losses accounted for. The forensics team ala CSI was brought in to dust for fingerprints and footprints. But as all domestic

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-30190878065962880802009-05-08T10:57:00.001+10:002009-05-09T11:30:51.833+10:00

We had a special lunch get together at work today. It was a quick yet warm lunch with flavours from India, Italy, Lebanon, Scotland and Australia - delicious meals cooked by fellow colleagues. Our work place is truly international :) I got snap happy and here are some of the pictures from the work place.All in a row - plates full to the brim Chocolate rum balls covered with dessicated coconut

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-63486056595811143572009-05-04T17:30:00.004+10:002009-05-04T18:12:15.601+10:00

I love avocados. Since settling down in Australia, that love has slowly become an obsession. Of late I have been eating an average of 3 avocados a week. I must admit I am a little concerned about my eating them so much because of the high fat content but I suppose since its good fat and since it decreases the LDLs I can eat them to my hearts content right? A single mid sized avocado contains 30g

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-85143591759527046332009-05-03T18:51:00.008+10:002009-05-04T17:27:21.370+10:00

Last Friday was a night of celebrations for the Masters of Pharmacy students at UCanberra. The ball was held at the Hellenic Club and it was a pretty awesome night. It was a formal event themed Gold and Silver. Lecturers, students and their partners made up most of the participants that night but there were some specially invited guests who had kindly sponsored the big prizes of the raffle draw

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-22363708661779040432009-04-30T22:16:00.003+10:002009-04-30T22:33:08.791+10:00

There was a knock on our door yesterday evening at 8pm. The door was opened only to find a uniformed man in blue with a note pad in his hand. We were told our neighbours two doors down had been burglarized. Notebooks, ipods and mobile phones were taken. The creep or creeps had broken in through the basement laundry room window during the day.We were asked if we saw anything out of the ordinary,

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-61538377922554249192009-04-26T22:02:00.006+10:002009-04-26T22:29:46.678+10:00

Its our family ritual to head to the shops for our weekly grocery shopping after church services on Sunday. I headed to the shops this morning with my in laws thinking I wouldn't be spending a cent because we had a fully stocked pantry and fridge. My assumption was so wrong! All the items you see in the picture each cost no more than AUD 1 except for the tray of 8 burger patties which cost AUD 2.

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-54668555682524700162009-04-23T21:33:00.003+10:002009-04-23T22:02:14.152+10:00

While we were at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, I had taken some pictures at the Arts and Crafts show hall which I had not uploaded in the previous post. I figured that the work was so beautiful that it deserved a blog post all on its own.The Arts and Crafts hall captivated me with all the creativity and hardwork that went into each piece. Awards are given every year to winners of each category.

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-43448262538629946742009-04-21T18:27:00.005+10:002009-05-09T11:36:51.237+10:00

At the hospital, bloods that come through to the lab for testing come with request forms stating patient details, tests needed plus a small section for clinical details. These forms are usually filled with information by doctors only on a need to know basis. Sometimes we get interesting details and today was one such day. It must have been a doctor with a sense of humour.Details:Patient has

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-73793810247433209672009-04-20T18:14:00.003+10:002009-04-21T18:27:10.209+10:00

I have said it before and I will say it again. There must be something about the Australian air that makes me a bumbling klutz. I have fallen more in the past year than I have in total since I was 21.This morning marks fall #3. The first time was down the stairs of my front door on a wintry night. The second time was at Woolworths slipping on a small piece of vegetable which was dropped by a very

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-33148299025998198862009-04-18T09:49:00.004+10:002009-04-18T10:24:03.922+10:00

Go Brumbies!!We watched the Brumbies vs Bulls last night at the Bruce, Canberra Stadium. It was my first rugby game and I had Alex explaining the rules as the game progressed. I'm used to watching football the English way but I must say rugby is pretty captivating - the game was made better by the fact that it was a close score. The Brumbies are from Canberra while the Bulls are from South Africa

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-69552790154667657682009-04-16T22:22:00.000+10:002009-04-17T16:07:22.426+10:00

We were at the Sydney Royal Easter Show over the weekend. I was expecting a mid sized fair with some rides and stalls but boy was I surprised. The show surpassed my expectations by leaps and bounds.. we spent nearly 7 hours just roaming the grounds! If it wasn't for our aching feet, we would have stayed past sunset.The annual Easter show is a showcase of Australian culture and heritage. Its main

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-21324442782903995442009-04-13T23:10:00.000+10:002009-04-15T23:17:44.416+10:00

These are some random shots of things that caught my eye over the weekend at the Royal Easte Show in Sydney. I admit I could have taken these shots at better angles but there were just too many people mulling about that I didnt have time to be a perfectionist.Woolworths shelf showcasing fresh produce Brightly colored mini pack potato crisps Jackets galorecheryl

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-49376587822399135982009-04-08T19:37:00.019+10:002009-04-08T22:51:32.973+10:00

We had a great time at the Gold Coast. Even though it wasn't the best of times to be on a holiday what with the rain and flooding in some areas of Brisbane plus the fact that we were both not well, we still had a wonderful time. This blog post will have quite a significant amount of photos so you have been warned :)We rented a car to get us to the Gold Coast from the airport. We got an Audi and

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-48328762973148733772009-04-06T09:18:00.000+10:002009-04-07T09:53:26.795+10:00

I nearly made it a full year without falling sick. Nearly. Its been 10 months 16 days since I packed my suitcases, leaving Malaysia for Australia and just when I thought I could get away with being healthy for a year.... I fell sick. It happened at the best of times too, the night before we were to fly to the Gold Coast! Grr......#$%*@!I could blame the sickness on the flu vaccination I took a

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7890405434602408148.post-30445507543731590492009-04-03T22:07:00.003+11:002009-04-03T22:19:03.527+11:00

We are going to the Gold Coast tomorrow! Whheee! Happy, happy, happy...I'm always happy to make a getaway from Canberra even if its just over the weekend. A little change every now and then is a good thing. A little surprise every now and then is also a very good thing! :)Alex organised this trip way before and actually kept it a secret from me up till 4 days ago when he dropped the bombshell. I

AlexandCherylhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07552085039433670748noreply@blogger.com0